Teaching & Instruction

Teaching and effective instruction for students with learning disabilities requires specialized knowledge in the areas of spoken language, reading, writing, and math. This section contains readings that reflect knowledge of best practices and evidence based instruction within each area.

This article demonstrates how the number sense concept can offer a useful framework for conceptualizing interventions that will significantly enhance mathematics instruction for students with mathematical disabilities.

Becky Young Arlin, M.S. is the middle and high school learning specialist for The Churchill School and Center, a K-12 school and resource center for children with learning disabilities. Mrs. Young Arlin, a Washington D.C. native, came to New York to attend SUNY Binghampton, where she majored in Music and English. She received her Masters of Science in Special Education at Bank Street College of Education in New York.

When you walk on the campus of the Charles Armstrong school you see the work of John Osner. School yards with complicated geometric designs created by his students for math projects and other projects reflect the passion of his teaching and of his students. John as tught children with dyslexia for over twenty years at the Charles Armstrong school.

It all started with one student who wanted to know how his accommodation of extra time was going to help if he did not know how to study for the test. This simple question led to great things at Louisburg College where, like other colleges/universities, legally mandated accommodations have been common provisions for students with learning disabilities (LD).

Lauren Ebel is a Special Education Teacher with the Fairfax County Public School in Fairfax, Virginia. She has taught in both public and private settings. She designed, wrote, and implemented "The Developmental Classroom", a speech and language-based primary program. She has worked with children who have learning disabilities and/or emotional problems, stating that many children with LD often experience emotional and behavioral outbursts. Two important classroom strategies she stresses are: (1) Laying ground rules for students and (2) Reinforcement of good behaviors. Her teaching involves much more as you will see as you learn about Mrs. Piggle Wiggle and Monsters.

The movement toward inclusion of students with disabilities into general education classes has become the overwhelming trend in education (Chow & Kasari, 1999; Mamlin, 1999). Not only does inclusive education for children with disabilities bring improved academic functioning (Manset & Semmel, 1997; Sideridis et al., 1997), but it also offers them the opportunity for socialization with their peers without disabilities in general education classrooms (Giangreco, Dennis, Cloninger, Edelman, & Shattman, 1993; National Center for Educational Restructuring and Inclusion, 1994).

We all get sent in odd directions at some point in our lives - directions that seem to make no sense. As a single mother of two, I was forced to sell my screen printing business and seek a new direction for my life. With two years of college under my belt, I decided to return to school and earn my teaching degree in art.

Teachers' grouping practices during reading instruction can serve as a critical component in facilitating effective implementation of reading instruction and inclusion of students with disabilities in general education classes. In this article, we provide an overview of the recent research on grouping practices (whole class, small group, pairs, one-on-one) during reading instruction for students with disabilities.

Though children with dyslexia experience difficulties in processing the written language, they are often bright, creative, and talented individuals. Strengths may include mechanical aptitude, artistic ability, musical gifts, and athletic prowess. The dyslexic student may also evidence advanced social skills as well as talents in computer/technology, science, and math.